Material dispense systems are systems which dispense a volume of material onto a receiving surface or work piece. Material dispense systems often include a controllable dispenser and a pressure source for pressurizing the material to be dispensed. The material dispensed can be any useful fluid. Commonly dispensed fluids include paints, dyes, glues, and lubricants. Some dispensed fluids, such as glues, must be carefully manipulated into a dispensable form through several processes, such as heating and pumping.
Material dispense systems are often used in automated or manual assembly processes. For example, material dispense systems are used to apply paint to automobiles on assembly lines. Also, material dispense systems are used to apply glue to boxes for packaging on assembly lines. A glue frequently used in packaging material dispense systems is hot melt glue. Hot melt glue must be melted and pressurized before it can be dispensed. Because the melting temperature of the glue is often several hundred degrees Celsius (several hundred degrees Fahrenheit), significant heat is applied to the glue through much of the process. This can lead to burning, or charring, of glue which can clog dispensers and slow down production of packaging materials, such as boxes. Additionally, packaging assembly lines may consume large quantities of glue, making glue a costly raw material.